title: Infection in central lines: antiseptic-impregnated vs standard non-impregnated catheters.
abstract: We report a survey of 196 consecutive central venous catheters (CVCs) placed in 151 patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) over a ten-month period. Over this time the use of a new antiseptic-impregnated triple lumen CVC (Arrowgard Blue, Arrow International Inc., Pennsylvania, U.S.A.) was alternated on a bimonthly basis with the standard triple-lumen CVC (Arrow International Inc., Pennsylvania, U.S.A.). The overall rate of CVC tip infection was lower in the impregnated CVC group (15.6% vs 30.9%, P < 0.05). The impregnated CVC group had a much lower cumulative infection rate when the dwell time in patients was five days or less (3.3% vs 26.9%, P < 0.05). However, the difference between the cumulative infection rate was not statistically significant (P > 0.05) for dwell times of 6, 7 or 8 days respectively. There was no difference in the CVC related bacteraemia rates between the two groups (3.9% vs 3.7%, P > 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loo
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: van Heerden
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Gollege
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Power
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002404:Catheterization; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008875:Middle Aged